1937 Wood Memorial

Date: May 1, 1937   

Length: 8 furlongs + 70 yards 

For: 3 year olds 

Location: Jamaica, New York

Had an interesting race in the Wood Memorial. I've been tinkering around with a modified version of the quick play version. For this race I used the quick play charts but rolled three speed rolls for each horse.

Flying Scot and Pompoon ran neck and neck through the first third of the race. Pompoon took a half-length lead at the 2/3rds mark, but Flying Scot lived up to his name catching Pompoon in the final segment and finishing ahead of him by a half-length.

Melodist was the best of the rest of the field, but never challenged the two front-runners finishing 5 lengths behind.



1. Flying Scot    1:39.6    $32.00  $17.00  $9.50
2. Pompoon                            2.60   2.30
3. Melodist                                  9.50
4. Sir Damion
5. Clodion
6. Rudie
7. Merry Maker
8. Chicolorado
9. Gurkha
10. Jewell Dorsett

Astros history project game 11

September 19, 1984

Dodgers (Jerry Reuss) at Astros (Bob Knepper)

The Dodgers jumped all over Knepper scoring four runs in the top of the first. Knepper re-grouped and did not allow any more runs in his six innings of work, but the damage was done. The Astros did manage a couple of runs off of Reuss in their half of the first thanks to a two run Jose Cruz triple, but that's all they would get.


         R   H  E
Dodgers  4  11  0
Astros   2   6  0

W  - Jerry Reuss
L  - Bob Knepper
SV - Ken Howell


The Astros fall to 6-5. 

Astros history project game 10

April 27, 2009

Astros (Roy Oswalt) at Reds (Johnny Cueto)

In real life Roy Oswalt has pretty much owned the Reds, but the table top incarnation of the Reds failed to follow the real life script.

With the Astros leading leading 2-1 in the fourth, the Reds started playing home run derby against Oswalt. Juan Encarnarcion started it with a a two run blast and Alex Gonzalez added the second two run blast of the inning. Encarnarcion was not finished - he launched another shot off Oswalt in the sixth. 

The Astros made a bit of a come back with three runs in the eighth, but Francisco Cordero closed them out in the ninth for an 8-5 Reds win.

        R   H   E
Astros  5   9   0
Reds    8  10   1

W  - Cueto
L  - Oswalt

Sv - Cordero

Home Runs - Kaz Matsui (Houston)

            Juan Encarnarcion 2 (Cincinnati)

            Alex Gonzalez (Cincinnati)

The Astros are now 6-4.

Astros history project game 9

May 15, 1996

Astros (Donne Wall) at Cubs (Frank Castillo)

The Cubs scored first in the bottom of the fifth when Scott Servais came home on a Leo Gomez double. In the sixth Mark Grace scored on a Sammy Sosa double.

Ricky Gutierrez scored the Astros first run in the top of the seventh on a Craig Biggio sac fly. Derek Bell tied the game with a sac fly plating Bill Spiers.

The tie did not last long. Scott Servais led off the bottom of the inning by crushing a Xavier Hernandez pitch into the bleachers.

The Astros had a bit of a chance in the ninth when Jeff Bagwell doubled with two out, but Turk Wendell retired Derek Bell for the save.

         R   H  E

Astros   2  12  1

Cubs     3   8  0

W - Terry Adams 

L - Xavier Hernandez

Sv - Turk Wendell

Home Run - Scott Servais (Chicago) 

The Astros are now 6-3.

Astros history project game 8

September 17, 1989

Reds (Tom Browning) at Astros (Mark Portugal)

This was a weird game. 

The Astros were leading 4-3 in the eighth when Mario Duncan homered off Larry Andersen to tie the game 4-4.  

The game remained tied until the bottom of the 13th. Ken Caminti led off with a walk. He advanced to second on a Mark Davidson bunt and to third on a Steve Lombardozzi infield single.Terry Puhl brough him home with a single off Kent Tekulve. Astros win 5-4.

Here are some curious stats from the game:

- Astros pitchers gave up 12 walks;

- Eric Davis drew 5 of those walks;

- Steve Lombardozzi didn't hit for the cycle, but he did single, triple, homer, and draw a walk. He also had 2 RBI.

        R   H   E 
Reds    4   9   2
Astros  5  10   1 (13)

W - Dan Schatzeder 

L - Kent Tekulve

Home Runs - Mario Duncan (Cincinnati), 
            Steve Lombardozzi (Houston), 
            Craig Biggio (Houston)

Astros history project game 7

July 22, 2003

Astros (Jeriome Robertson) at Pirates (Salomon Torres)

In 2003 Jeriome Robertson was more lucky than good in winning 15 games for the Astros. In this game, he was just flat out good giving up just two hits and four walks while striking out four in six shutout innings against the lowly Pirates. Meanwhile, his teammates took advantage of some shaky fielding by the Pirates to put up four runs in the top of the first. They added two more runs in the eighth en route to a 6-0 win.

        R  H  E

Astros  6  7  0

Pirates 0  3  2

W - Robertson 
P - Torres

The Astros are now 5-2.

Astros history project game 6

May 10, 1978

Astros (Mark Lemongello) at Phillies (Jim Lonborg)

The Astros jumped on Lonborg early scoring 3 runs on 6 hits in the top of the second. They added another run in the fourth to send Lonborg to the showers. However, the real story of this game was the pitching of Mark Lemongello. He allowed just four hits and one walk in eight shutout innings. 

Roger Metzger went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.

          R   H  E
Astros    4  12  0
Phillies  0   4  1

W - Lemongello

L - Lonborg

Astros history project game 5

August 20, 1974

Mets (Bob Apodaca) at Astros (J.R. Richard)

This was quite a game. The Mets scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth when a Tommy Helms error extended the Mets inning and allowed Felix Millan to draw a bases loaded walk off Richard. 

Lee May waked to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. Tommey Helms atoned for his miscue in the top of the inning by tripling home May. Helms was injured sliding into third and had to leave the game.

The Astros took the lead in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a Doug Rader two run blast.

The Mets answered in the eighth. Cleon Jones led off with a single off of Richard. Ken Forsch, relieving Richard, gave up a double to Kranepool that scored Jones. Jerry Grote's single plated Kranepool with the tying run. 

Wilbur Howard led off the bottom of the eighth by drawing a walk. He advanced to second on a Greg Gross sac bunt. Roger Metzger doubled him home to give the Astros a 4-3 lead.

Forsch, after blowing the save in the eighth, pitched around an error and a walk in the ninth to get the win.

         R   H   E 

Mets     3   8   1

Astros   4   4   1

W - Ken Forsch

L - Bob Miller

Home Run - Doug Rader (Houston)

Astros history project game 4

August 26, 1967  

Reds (Milt Pappas) at Astros (Mike Cuellar)

The Astros scored first in the bottom of the fourth on a Bob Aspromonte single that scored Doug Rader. In the sixth inning Norm Miller added another run when Aspromonte doubled him home. 

Meanwhile, Mike Cuellar kept the Reds off the scoreboard until the eighth. Tommy Harper led off the inning with a walk before scoring on Lee May's two out single.  

Leading 2-1, Cuellar took the hill in the ninth. Tommy Helms led off with a single, but Cuellar then retired the next two hitters. That brought pinch hitter Don Pavletich to the plate and he must have liked what he saw from Cuellar because he launched a blast into the bleachers that gave the Reds a 3-2 lead. The Astros couldn't rally against reliever Cecil Upshaw and they lose a tough one.

The Astros record is now  2-2.

        R   H   E

Reds    3   9   1

Astros  2   9   1

W - Don Nottebart

L - Mike Cuellar

SV - Cecil Upshaw

Home Run - Don Pavletich (Cincinnati)

Opening Day 1962 in Houston

April 10, 1962 
Cubs (Don Cardwell) at Colt 45s (Bobby Shantz)

The Cubs jumped on Shantz early in this game. George Altman followed a Ken Hubbs double and an Ernie Banks single with a three run homer.

The Colts finally broke through against Cardwell in the eighth. Don Buddin led off with a walk and advanced to third on Billy Goodman's pinch hit double.  Aspromonte's single scored Buddin to make it a 3-1 game. Al Spangler walked to load the bases for Roman Mejias who grounded into a double play. Goodman scored on the play, but it sucked the life out of the rally and Caldwell retired Larker on a liner to short.

The ninth started great for Houston thanks to Jim Pendleton's lead off triple. With the tying run only 90 feet away, reliever Barney Schultz struck out Hal Smith. Then he struck out Joey Amalfitano before retiring Buddin on a grounder. Blah!

          R  H  E
Chicago   3  6  0
Houston   2  7  1

W - Caldwell     L - Shantz

Home Run - Altman (Chicago)

Old school ball

May 5, 1871 


Washington Olympics (Asa Brainard) 
at Boston Red Stockings (Al Spalding)


The Olympics built a 9-1 lead before Boston eventually took an 11-9 lead. Washington immediately regained the lead and never trailed again claiming a 15-12 victory. Considering the era, there were not as many errors as I had anticipated.


             R    H   E
Washington  15   15   7
Boston      12   15   6

W - Brainard
L - Spalding

Opening Day 1957 in Cleveland

April 16, 1957
White Sox (Billy Pierce) at Indians (Herb Score) with And the Pitch

I was hoping for a classic pitchers' duel in this game, but it didn't happen. Pierce held up his end, but Score was wild walking 8 in 4 innings before being relieved by Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish (aka "Cal"). The White Sox turned those 8 walks into 4 runs off Score and then added another run off of McLish. Rocky Colavito drove in a couple of runs for the Indians who disappoint the home crowd with a 5-2 loss.

Billy Pierce gets the complete game win for the Pale Hose allowing 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7.

Astros history project game 3

1969 Braves (Phil Niekro) at 1969 Astros (Larry Dierker)

Rico Carty scored the first run of the game on Clete Boyer's second inning single.  The Astros tied the game with Johnny Edwards fifth inning solo homer in the fifth.

Tony Gonzalez led off the sixth by reaching on a Jimmy Wynn error. Rico Carty singled him home and then later scored the Braves third run on a Clete Boyer ground out.

After Johnny Edwards brought the Astros to within a run of the Braves by scoring on a Joe Morgan ground out in the eighth, Jimmy Wynn tied the game at 3-3 with a ninth inning solo homer

So, off to extra innings we go tied 3-3. The tie didn't last very long as Felix Millan raced home on a Hank Aaron double. Orlando Cepeda's ground out brought home Aaron with the Braves fifth run. Cecil Upshaw shutdown the Astros in the tenth to get the Save.

        R   H   E

Braves  5   9   1

Astros  3   8   1


WP - Phil Niekro
LP - Dooley Womack
Sv - Cecil Upshaw

Home Runs - Edwards (Hou), Wynn (Hou)

Astros are now 2-1.

Astros history project game 2

September 30, 2005

Cubs (Carlos Zambrano) vs Astros (Andy Pettitte)

Zambrano pitched well in this game, but Pettitte pitched even better. Matt Murton's solo homer in the fourth inning was the only blemish for Pettitte who allowed 5 hits and 2 walks in eight ininngs.

Adam Everett's second inning sac fly brought home Lance Berkman with the first run of the game. In the third Biggio doubled and then scored on Morgan Ensberg's double. That was all the run support Pettitte would need.

       R   H   E

Cubs   1   5   1

Astros 2   5   1

W - Pettitte

L - Zambrano

Sv - Lidge

Home Run - Murton (Chicago)

1993-94 Rockets replay - game 3

Rockets  114

Warriors 106(OT)

The Rockets trailed by 18 points in the third, but come back to win 114-106 in overtime at Golden State. Latrell Sprewell led all scorers with 27, but hit only 12 of his 27 shots. The Rockets were led by Olajuwon as usual with 26. 

Trailing 100-98 with just one shot left in regulation, the Rockets worked the ball inside to Olajuwon who hit the game tying shot. 

This game had some brutal shooting and tons of turnovers, but an ugly win is still a win. Rockets are now 2-1.

All Time Rockets Replay Game 1

October 14, 1971

              1  2  3  4    F
Philadelphia 33 35 28 28   124

Houston      29 34 33 29   125

Led by a 35 point and 18 rebound performance by Elvin Hayes, the Rockets squeak out a one point win in their first game in Houston. Billy Cunningham led the 76ers with 35 points and 10 rebounds. 

Rockets stats   Pts   Reb    Ast

    Hayes        35    18     3       

    Lantz        21     7     2

    Murphy       15     4     2

    Tomjanovich  15    11     2

    Meely        11     6     2

    Others       28    18     7

Next game - October 13, 1978 at Boston

Opening Day 1979 in Houston

April 6, 1979 with Calculator Baseball

Braves (Phil Niekro) vs Astros (JR Richard)

Art Howe's second inning single plated Enos Cabell with the first run of the game. Alan Ashby followed with a sac fly scoring Rafeal Landestoy.

The Braves answer with a game tying Mike Lum two run homer in the top of the fourth.

The 2-2 tie lasted until the fifth inning when Terry Puhl tripled and then scored on Bob Horner's two out error.

The Astros added another couple of runs - both unearned - in the bottom of the sixth. Terry Puhl singled home Landestoy and Art Howe. Pepe Frias' third error of the game allowed Puhl to hit.

JR Richard went the distance for the Astros allowing 9 hits while striking out 7 and walking none.

The Braves commit four errors behind Phil Niekro who allowed 5 runs but only two were earned.

          R   H   E
Braves    2   9   4
Astros    5   7   1
 

Opening Day 1969 in San Diego

April 8, 1969 with The Baseball Card Game

Houston (Don Wilson) at San Diego (Dick Selma)

Baseball comes to San Diego and both pitchers were really on their game. Ed Spiezio gave San Diego a 1-0 lead with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

Curt Blefary led off the Astros 7th with a walk and then advanced to third when Larry Stahl misplayed a Dennis Menke fly ball into a two base error. Blefary came home on a Selma wild pitch to tie the game. Johnny Edwards promptly untied it with a single scoring Menke with the Astros second run.

Blefary would prove to be more trouble for the Padres in the ninth scoring on a Bob Watson single after leading off the inning with a double.

If the Padres had any hopes of a rally, Don Wilson quashed those thoughts with a perfect ninth inning that included two strikeouts. Wilson gets the complete game victory allowing just 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 6. Dick Selma loses despite giving up just one earned run.

           R  H  E
Houston    3  6  1
San Diego  1  6  2

1937 Jamaica Handicap

Date: May 1, 1937   

Length: 6 furlongs  

For: 3 year olds 

Location: Belmont Park, New York

Only One took a one length lead ahead of Snark and Tintagel through the first 3 furlongs. Snark got within a half a length, but Only One wouldn't let him get any closer. Tintagel finished a length behind Snark for third.

Whopper had a terrible start and finished sixth.

Post Positions     Odds 

 1. Little Miracle  8-1

 2. Snark           4-1

 3. Whopper         5-1

 4. Sgt. Byrne      8-1

 5. Rebellion      12-1

 6. Tintagel        5-2

 7. Only One        3-1

Results         Time     Behind    Win   Place   Show 
Only One       1:10.4     ---      8.00   5.00   3.50
Snark                     -.5             6.00   4.00
Tintagel                  -1                     7.50
Sgt. Byrne
Little Miracle
Whopper
Rebellion

1993-94 Rockets replay - game 2

The Rockets got off to a terrible start shooting in this game and never recovered as they lose 101-88 at Portland. They finish the game shooting just 40% from the field. Olajuwon led the way with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Clyde Drexler and Rod Strickland each scored 24 for the Blazers while Clifford Robinson added 20.

Rockets are now 1-1.

1993-94 Rockets replay - game 1

Ok, I finished my first DICE Basketball game - and it was a doozy. The Rockets led 19-10 after the the first quarter and maintained the lead going into the 4th quarter.

But the Nets were able to keep it close and the 4th quarter was crazy. First, Mario Elie and Kevin Edwards are ejected for fighting. A little later, Vernon Maxwell and Rumeal Robinson trade punches and also get tossed. As if that weren't enough of the fisticuffs, a bench clearing brawl led to the ejections of Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, and Sam Cassell for the Rockets while the Nets lost Derrick Coleman, Armen Gilliam, and Chris Morris. So, that's 10 players ejected from the game!

With just 4 shots just in the game, Kenny Anderson hit a 3 pointer to make it a 114-112 game. After forcing a Rockets turnover on the inbounds pass, the Nets get the ball back to Anderson who ties the game at 114. With just two shots left, Scotty Brooks hits his only shot of the game to give the Rockets a 116-114 lead. The Nets, having the last shot of the game, were hoping to get the ball into Kenny Anderson's hands, but they had to settle for a shot by Dwayne Schintzius that missed badly. Rockets win 116-114. Whew!

* Hakeem had 20 points and 19 rebounds for the Rockets.

* Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxwell led the Rockets with 22 points each.

* Derrick Coleman led all scorers with 29 points and led the Nets with 11 rebounds.